


oh, this life I choose

by emmerrr



Series: To live will be an awfully big adventure [16]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: All For The Fluff, I make no apologies for how soft this is, M/M, Soft Boys, seriously soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-27
Updated: 2017-06-27
Packaged: 2018-11-19 21:32:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11322150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emmerrr/pseuds/emmerrr
Summary: He has extra keys these days; he’s got his own car and apartment keys, the keys to the house in Columbia and keys to the court where he now trains, but he also has a key to Neil’s suite at Fox Tower, and when Neil leaves and gets a place of his own, Andrew will swap it for a key to there, too.The key fixation has always been Neil’s thing, but Andrew can still appreciate what they mean. He’s welcome and he’s wanted. He doesn’t have to knock.





	oh, this life I choose

**Author's Note:**

> (title taken from I Could Die For You by Red Hot Chili Peppers because I am a gigantic sap)

PR meetings are, unfortunately, part and parcel of Andrew’s job; an unavoidable side-effect of the life that he has chosen. But as voices drone on in the background and Andrew sits, bored, with his elbow propped on the table and his chin perched in hand, he reminds himself that at least the reason _why_ it’s the life he has chosen is currently back in Andrew’s apartment, studying for finals.

It’s so soon now until Neil graduates, and Andrew has been mentally counting down the days although he’d never admit it in a million years. Neil has already signed with a pro-team — not Andrew’s; it’ll have to be long distance again for a little while — but he will still have a month free before his pre-season starts, and he’ll spend the majority of it with Andrew. Because that’s what they _decided_ they’d do.

The meeting wraps up almost without Andrew noticing because his mind has been elsewhere, but he clues in when his manager clears her throat and he takes it as his cue to stand up, shake a couple of hands, and leave the room.

His manager is called Zoe and she is always dressed immaculately in a way that reminds Andrew of Allison, although she’s nowhere near as abrasive. She’s long suffering when it comes to Andrew and he knows he doesn’t exactly make her job any easier, but she’s very good at minding her own business. Andrew likes her, in as much as he ever likes anyone.

Zoe walks him to the elevator and says, “Did you actually listen to any of that?”

Andrew tilts his head to the side, considering. “Not really.” Andrew’s memory is excellent, but it doesn’t help him if he’s not paying attention in the first place.

Zoe sighs. “Andrew, some of that was important. You need to know this stuff.”

The look Andrew gives her is bored, because it _is_ boring, and Zoe sighs again. She sighs a lot, Andrew has noticed. “I’ll email you the main points. Make sure you read it thoroughly.”

“See, that’s why they pay you the big bucks,” Andrew says dryly.

“They don’t pay me nearly as much as you seem to think they do,” Zoe grumbles just as Andrew’s elevator arrives.

He steps inside, presses the button for the parking-garage and gives Zoe a lazy two-fingered salute as the doors close.

Andrew has his keys in hand as he walks across the parking-garage towards the Maserati, and he idly twirls them around his finger. He has extra keys these days; he’s got his own car and apartment keys, the keys to the house in Columbia and keys to the court where he now trains, but he also has a key to Neil’s suite at Fox Tower, and when Neil leaves and gets a place of his own, Andrew will swap it for a key to there, too.

The key fixation has always been Neil’s thing, but Andrew can still appreciate what they mean. He’s welcome and he’s wanted. He doesn’t have to knock.

The PR building where Andrew’s meeting took place is close to the stadium where he trains with his team, and so the drive back to his apartment is so familiar that it may as well be muscle memory. A left here, two sets of traffic lights, another left, then a right, and he’s pulling into the parking-garage of his apartment building.

He parks right at the back out of the way and then takes the stairs to the third floor. He checks the time as he’s unlocking the door to his apartment and his meeting obviously ended earlier than anticipated, because it’s only just after midday. Andrew told Neil he wouldn’t be back until one.

Andrew tosses his keys into the dish on the table by the door, then takes his shoes off and lines them up neatly next to where Neil has haphazardly kicked off his own sneakers. Andrew rolls his eyes even though no one can see, but he’s not annoyed, not really. If anything, he feels a warmth at the sight. One day, Neil’s shoes will be a permanent fixture next to Andrew’s.

One day.

Andrew peers into the living room which was where he left Neil a couple of hours earlier, buried under a mountain of books. The books remain, but Neil is notably absent and Andrew detours to the kitchen. Neil isn’t here either but there’s a faint smell of burning that suggests Neil tried to cook something and wasn’t entirely successful. He’s never attentive enough when he’s got something on the stove, Andrew’s told him a thousand times.

Andrew can’t hear the shower running, and Neil’s sneakers were still here so he must be home, and there’s only one place left to check. Andrew pads to his bedroom and pushes the door open.

The bed is, admittedly, enormous — much bigger than it needs to be considering how small Andrew is — and Neil is right in the middle, curled up into a tiny little ball and fast asleep. He’s on top of the duvet but has covered himself in the patchwork blanket that Renee knitted for Andrew as a housewarming gift, and half his face is pressed so hard into a pillow that he’s definitely going to have crease marks on his cheek when he wakes up. Auburn hair is sticking up every which way and standing out starkly against the white pillow cases. Honestly, the whole sight is so ridiculously endearing that it almost makes Andrew physically angry.

‘Cute’ isn’t a word that Andrew likes to keep in his vocabulary, but here’s Neil, and he’s undeniably cute. Which is undeniably irritating.

“Fucking ridiculous,” Andrew mutters, and he bypasses the bed and heads to the bathroom, where he takes the world’s quickest shower.

He changes into his old Foxes’ jersey and a pair of Neil’s sweatpants (because they’re longer and more comfortable), then he gently climbs up on the bed and nestles down next to Neil, moving carefully enough that he doesn’t jostle his sleeping boyfriend.

And well, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Andrew closes his eyes and indulges in a rare nap. (Neil’s always been a better napper than Andrew).

When he wakes up, Neil is staring. Because of course he is, that’s what Neil _does_. He smiles sleepily at Andrew, and it’s — fuck — it’s _cute_ , because _Neil’s_ cute, this has already been established. Andrew kisses him just to wipe the smile away, but it doesn’t really work, and Andrew doesn’t really mind anyway.

“I see the studying is going well,” he says when he pulls away.

The smile drops off Neil’s face and he rolls onto his back. “Don’t remind me,” he says. “It gave me a headache.”

“Is that why you were sleeping?”

“Mhm.”

"Also, did you try to set fire to my kitchen?"

Neil shifts his gaze towards Andrew. “I _may_ have burnt some toast," he says, and then quickly changes the subject. "How did your meeting go?”

“I have no idea. I wasn’t really listening.”

“Andrew,” Neil chides, but it comes out fond.

“Zoe’s emailing me the highlights.”

“Zoe is a saint.”

“She’s alright,” Andrew says, and Neil lets out a little huff of laughter. “How’s your head now?”

“Better,” Neil says. “The nap helped.” He reaches across and takes Andrew’s hand, tracing his fingertips. Andrew huddles closer so that Neil has better access, and after a couple of minutes, Neil sighs heavily. “I don’t want to leave tomorrow.”

Andrew closes his eyes and gently pushes his forehead against Neil’s shoulder; he doesn’t want Neil to leave either, but that’s neither here nor there. “Well, you have to.”

“I _know_ that,” Neil says, and Andrew can hear the scowl.

Comfort with words isn’t something that comes naturally to Andrew. In fact, comfort in general is a foreign concept, but it’s easier with Neil somehow, because Neil doesn’t expect anything from Andrew that Andrew can’t give. This is why Andrew finds it within himself to squeeze Neil’s hand and say, “Three weeks, Neil. Just three more weeks and then we’ve got a month to ourselves.”

Because of their close proximity, Andrew can feel the tension start to leech out of Neil, and he recognises the slight glimmer of pride that bubbles up; _he_ did that. _He_ made Neil feel better.

“Are we going to go anywhere?” Neil asks, and he rolls back over onto his side, facing Andrew. They’re breathing in the same air.

“Do you _want_ to go somewhere?” It’s all the same to Andrew. He’ll go where Neil goes, and vice versa.

“We could just drive,” Neil says. “See where the wind takes us.” He laughs, the soft skin at the corners of his eyes crinkling. “Fuck, that sounded cheesy.”

“We can do whatever you want,” Andrew says, because he really doesn't care. The destination has never really been the point with him and Neil.

“Okay,” Neil says. “We don’t have to decide now.” He studies Andrew’s face, and then he grins and pokes Andrew on the end of his nose. “Boop.”

“Neil,” Andrew says. “Did you just ‘boop’ my nose?”

“. . . no.” Neil grins again, and Andrew shakes his head, exasperatedly fond. Neil is ridiculous, but Andrew loves him. “Well, better hit the books again.” He starts to sit himself up but Andrew tugs lightly on his t-shirt.

“Wait,” he says, and he pulls Neil back down.

Neil, of course, goes without a fuss, and he’s even closer now than he was before. He leans in and presses a lingering kiss to Andrew’s lips. “You know, if I fail, it’s totally gonna be your fault,” Neil mumbles against Andrew’s mouth, but he sounds anything but annoyed.

“You’re not going to fail,” Andrew replies. “Besides, it’s not like it matters. You’ve already signed a contract with a pro-team.”

“True,” Neil says, and he lets Andrew tuck his head under Neil’s chin. His arm curls around Andrew’s back and his hand ends up at the nape of Andrew’s neck, rubbing his thumb in soothing circles.

Andrew’s already had a nap, but he immediately feels drowsy again. “Just five more minutes,” he mumbles, half-asleep already.

Neil hums in response.

They have all the time in the world.

**Author's Note:**

> it feels like it's been literal years since I've written an andreil oneshot and I'd forgotten how much I enjoy writing them. this was so relaxing to write, I hope people like it ahhhh!
> 
> also, if you read my multi-chapter AU The Road to Nowhere, chapter 16 went up earlier :)) and if you don't read it you should totally start!


End file.
